Getting FWC down sloped driveway for storage

D

Doff

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Nov 4, 2019
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Hi All

We purchased a new truck to pair with a FWC and are in the process of ordering our FWC. We want to be sure we have a place/ way to store our camper at our home when not in use. Ideally, id like to keep it in our garage. However, the driveway is sloped downhill from the street to the garage door. The garage door isn't tall enough for us to back the truck into the garage and unload the camper.

So my questions is....any input on how to unload the camper and then get it into the garage? I am assuming we can't unload it on our sloped driveway, so it would have to happen on the street. My idea is to unload it on the street onto a dolly of some sort and then use the truck winch to slowly lower the camper down the drive way and into the garage. Would that work? Would love ideas on how to safely unload the camper from our truck and get it down the sloped driveway and into the garage.

The other option is we have a paved parking space next to the garage that could store the camper, but that is also not level. it slopes slightly back and slightly to the side, so I Don't think we could unload right there. What are your thoughts?


full

Looking down the driveway from the street towards garage

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Side view of sloped driveway

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View of sloped paved parking spot next to driveway and garage
 
Have you considered lowering the camper onto a cheap harbor freight trailer then use your truck to back it into the garage?

I used to unload my camper onto a slightly off kilter driveway. It is hard to get a feel for the spot next to your driveway from the photos. I would guess my old driveway had a 3" difference from one side of the truck to the other.
 
We also have a sloped driveway (up in our case) and my plan is to get a trailer if I ever have to put the camper in the garage. A 5x8 utility trailer should work fine as long as the rails aren't too tall. Here is one that the FWC factory uses to transport campers:

http://eagleirontrailer.com/ironeagle/flatbed-trailers/3000/

Probably overkill if you are just going to be moving the camper back and forth from your garage to the street.
 
heinphoto said:
We also have a sloped driveway (up in our case) and my plan is to get a trailer if I ever have to put the camper in the garage. A 5x8 utility trailer should work fine as long as the rails aren't too tall. Here is one that the FWC factory uses to transport campers:

http://eagleirontrailer.com/ironeagle/flatbed-trailers/3000/

Probably overkill if you are just going to be moving the camper back and forth from your garage to the street.
Click to expand...
That's what I use. Works great
 
heinphoto said:
We also have a sloped driveway (up in our case) and my plan is to get a trailer if I ever have to put the camper in the garage. A 5x8 utility trailer should work fine as long as the rails aren't too tall. Here is one that the FWC factory uses to transport campers:

http://eagleirontrailer.com/ironeagle/flatbed-trailers/3000/

Probably overkill if you are just going to be moving the camper back and forth from your garage to the street.
Click to expand...
That looks perfect. I like the idea of a trailer we can just move with the truck. I have heard that some of the Harbor Freight stuff is cheap quality. Looks like there isn't any Iron Eagle Trailers dealer ANYWHERE near us. Any other ideas on a quality trailer?
 
I think a cheap, low-quality trailer would be fine. You aren't going to take it on the road. It's going to be inside the garage. Even the cheapest would easily carry the weight of the camper. About ten years ago, I got a 4' x 6' at Tractor Supply for around $450 . I don't use it for my camper, but it would fit. Look for one without a ramp, which would be in the way and probably have to be discarded.
 
The 3.5x5 trailer from Lowe's should work.The sides are 16" high and the rear gate slides out.
I had one of these years I used to haul yard debris.Work great .
That's just about the price I payed for mine 10 years ago.
Frank
 
thanks for all the input. Definitely seems like a trailer is the way to go. Is there a minimum or maximum size we should be looking for? Length? width? Side height?
 
Hi Doff welcome
Our driveway sloped opposite, to y’all’s. Stacking wood under jack legs to keep the camper jacks even although the driveway wasn’t. Doable but a hassle. With your slope when driving out I would think it to be a pain. The Harbor Freight Trailer would be fastest safest IMO. Lifting on level ground faster and safer, move truck position trailer lower, hook up truck, move into garage.
I lower camper legs for stabilization

Russ

We used the 4x8 trailer we had worked very well.
 
Which camper are you going to order? According to the exterior dimensions drawing FWC sent me, the Grandby (and I assume Hawk) camper tub is widest at the tailgate end: 58-1/8" (48-1/4" at the cab end). So, if you want the camper to fit fully between the trailer rails, it would need to be at least 5' (60") wide. The Grandby tub is 96.5" long, so 8' should work for both Hawk and Grandby. So, I have been looking at 5'x8' trailers. The main overhang is 21-1/2" above the bottom of the tub, so you would want the rails to be less than that height. With flatbed trailers, you would need to check the distance between the wheels/wheel wells, but you might be able to get by with a smaller trailer.
 
I’ve been looking at the Harbor Freight trailers. They seem like the simplest and cheapest option. But...their weight rating is only like 1700lbs...pretty far under the weight of a camper. Do you think it’s ok to still use a trailer that’s under rated for the camper weight? I tried to find an Iron Eagle Trailers distributer but there’s nothing remotely close to where I live.
 
Hey Doff - how'd things turn out with the trailer? I am thinking about getting a trailer to move the camper into the garage, too. My issue is that I'd have to drive it a few blocks to a flat parking lot to load/unload.
 
Sorry to beat a dead horse. Still looking for a trailer. I had FWC send me the dimensions of the Hawk. It JUST under 5ft wide. would a trailer that is 4ft wide be OK? Is it safe to have it hang off 6 inches each side?
 
Hello Doff

Is the 60 inch width the part in the rear.
I used a HF for our ATC, and the full-size Cougar rear end did hang out on either side at the rear. Only used it to move in and out of garage. Left legs on and did place the on the ground to stabilize things.
No problem noticed, hope this helps.

Russ
 
Doff said:
Sorry to beat a dead horse. Still looking for a trailer. I had FWC send me the dimensions of the Hawk. It JUST under 5ft wide. would a trailer that is 4ft wide be OK? Is it safe to have it hang off 6 inches each side?
Click to expand...
A grandby has a base floor of 4 x 8 feet, with the last 18 inches being wider (58 inches) after the wheel wells (2013 grandby)

A Fleet is narrower in general, my old one was 37 inches wide (in order to fit between the wheel wells of a mid sized truck) and then wider after the wheel wells..

I have my Grandby on a 4 x 8 harbor freight trailer.. works great.. will work great for a fleet...
 
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